To Hell or Barbados: The ethnic cleansing of Ireland

Many are unaware of how miserably the English treated the Irish. Thousands of the Irish were plucked from their homes and lives and sent to Barbados. This book goes into depth about how that actually happened.

Great book

O'Callaghan's description of 17th Century Barbados is a powerful portrait of a society as brutal, corrupt and unjust as anything the 20th Century had to offer. Between 1652 and 1659 over 50,000 Irish men, women and children were transported from Ireland to the West Indies, and to Virginia in the U.S. It is precisely societies like colonial Barbados and Virginia which lie at the root of our modern world.[For me], The most captivating evidence, manifestation and revelations remain among the class of poor whites that currently live on Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada and a few other Caribbean islands. Their forebears came from Ireland, Scotland and the West of England... Thanks to those such as Oliver Cromwell, this is yet another example of British imperialism (extending beyond Africa). Small groups of Germans and Portuguese were also imported as plantation labourers. Many were described as "white slaves".According to folk etymology, the name "Red Leg" is derived from the effects of the tropical sun on their fair-skinned legs. Additionally, the term "Red Legs", the other terms such as; "Redshanks", "Poor Backra", "Ecky-Becky", "Poor whites from below the hill", or "Beck-e Neck" (Baked-neck) were common. Historically everything besides "poor whites" were used as derogatory insults, and the community was perceived as arrogant, alcoholic, and worthless. As with other schemes, the reason for their deportation was made clear by King James 1 of England: 'Root out the Papists and fill Ireland with Protestants'. Interestingly enough, both Protestant and Catholic Irish were only permitted to sit in the back rows while attending church, hence, they were also commonly referred to as "backrow".By the 18th century, white slavery became much less common, and African slaves were trained in all needed trades, so there was no demand for paid white labour. The "Red Legs" in turn, were unwilling to work alongside the freed slave population on the plantations. Actually, the "blacks" did not accept them either. Most tried to immigrate to other British colonies whenever the opportunity arose, which reduced the white population to a small minority; and most of the white population that chose to stay eked out, at best, a subsistence living. Because of the deplorable conditions under which the "Red Legs" lived, a campaign was initiated in the mid-19th century to move portions of the population to other islands which would be more economically hospitable.The "Red Legs" have retained an ethnic pride, mostly marrying within their own community. There is now more integration with the black population and faint beginnings of new attitudes towards colour, race and class.Today, most "Red Legs" have bad or no teeth due to poor diet and lack of dental care. Illnesses and premature deaths due to haemophilia and diabetes have left men blind and without limbs. They are no longer plagued by the old diseases of hookworm, typhoid, and cholera, but school absenteeism, poor health, the ill effects of inter-family marriage, large families, little ownership of land and lack of job opportunities have locked those remaining on the island into a poverty trap. It is quite staggering to realize that the descendants of the first Irish slaves remain prisoners, almost 400 years later. They illustrate a society hampered by psychological problems as well as physical circumstances forcing them into a position from which they cannot yet escape.

As a direct descendant of an Irishman who supposedly emigrated to Barbados as a planter and later settled himself comfortably in Virginia, according to the family history published in the very early 1900s, I was more than interested in this book; indeed, I was immediately skeptical of the flowery adjectives and all that, that I had previously read in the published genealogy of my ancestor.I purchased this book here at amazon.com, and have just finished a first reading of it. I am stunned to learn the terrible truth of what my grandfather and my people endured on Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and elsewhere in the West Indies. My grandfather, though a slave, did marry a Scottish woman. His wife gave birth to two sons and then she died, along with the younger son. In sheer compassion for father and remaining son, a kind ship's captain arranged to have my ancestor and his remaining son come to Virginia Colony, where they began life anew. These things I learned while doing online research and reading the book concurrently.I descend through his second wife, whom he married in Virginia ColonyWere it not for Sean O'Callaghan's caring, his carefully and completely incisive treatment of this ugly chapter in the history of England before it became Great Britain, and of the British Empire after the Act of Union of 1707, modern seekers of historical realities would be at a great loss. I do not wish to ignore the many other writers of history who also expose the barbarities thrust upon the Irish.This book is not a quick read, at least not for me. Each and every sentence is of great importance; time is needed to absorb, digest and metabolize the poison of England's panoramic rush to destruction of the Irish race. Mr. O'Callaghan carries us through this painful panorama; to see it in his words is to experience the agonies of the Irish AND Scottish slaves.He takes us further in time than the initial clapping in arms of the Irish. He brings us full circle to our current day, an Epilogue some would call it, and he invites us to accompany him to visit the descendants of Irish and Scottish slaves still living -- or rather, barely surviving -- in the West Indies. We discover their terrible plight today; the inexcusable poverty and racial prejudice thrust upon them, the ever-present class distinction which was NEVER vanquished, the utter hopelessness of an entire race of people who know not their own ancestors more than two generations back in time. And all this after 350 years of white slavery! We also witness their stubborn pride and fierce efforts to defend their small communities from all strangers.Mr. O'Callaghan brings us to understand that these descendants are yet slaves; the reader must find out for himself why this is so.This book, though not large in volume, packs a powerful WALLOP and is not for wimps or those who deny historical reality. This book is definitely a keeper and should be read at least three or four times so as to allow every truth presented therein to be well remembered and never forgotten.

A book I have found difficult to source in recent years. I found it here for a very reasonable price and in perfect condition. Anyone remotely interested in the history of the Irish people should read this book. We as a nation are owed great deal from our neighbours and from our erstwhile friends in America. While it's generally accepted that we're probably the wittiest, funniest, most erudite and likeable rogues on our planet, it's less well known that the Irish were the first people enslaved by the English. Ireland was the first country to experience Englands loving embrace at the cost of many thousands slaughtered and many more sent into indentured slavery.

When it was pointed out to me that I was the only white Peter Alleyne on Facebook, and having no idea about my family history, Covid hit and I decided to do some research. We were told we were descended from French stock and other lies, we now know about our direct links to Barbados sugar growers, the research just got better and better, I have learnt so much about my family history, good and bad, with Google, YouTube and historical books on Barbados, including To Hell or Barbados, thankyou to the late Sean O'Callaghan and other authors of the books I am reading and learning about Barbados.

Una historia fascinante sobre como los primeros esclavos fueron transportados a Barbados desde Irlanda para trabajar en las plantaciones de tobaco. Desde el comienzo brutal que cuenta los hechos y la politica inglesa que provocó la diaspora, una limpieza étnica de Irlanda por las fuerzas de la primera republica ingles.

Being a West Indian myself, I am aware of the terrible things that were done to the Irish by Cromwell and others in times past. I would highly recommend this book. It is a pity that today's Irish people are totally ignorant about what was done to their people in the past.

I told me about my ancestors that were shipped out of Ireland by Cromwell. Great book